Shoetree



March 17, 1936. J. L. CONRAD SHOETREE Filed Jan. 29, 1935 me/nm Joseph/L. 'QrzPadL I Il Patented Mar. 17, 1936 ETED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to shoe forms or shoe trees, the primary object of the invention being to provide a iexible shoe form or tree which will conform to the shape of the shoe in which it is positioned, and one which will cause the shoe to assume its natural shape, due to internal pressure directed against the shoe, when the shoe has been bent or otherwise pressed out of its normal shape.

An important object of the invention is the provision of a flexible shoe tree of a pneumatic construction and so designed that the inating means is self-contained, making it unnecessary to use a bulb, bellows, or other attachable means for inflating the shoe tree.

A further object of the invention is to provide means whereby the air may be readily exhausted from the body portion or shoe tree, when it becomes necessary to deflate the shoe tree to facilitate the removal of the tree from a shoe.

With the foregoing and other objects in View which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through an infiated shoe tree constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional View taken on line 2--2 of Figure l.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3--3 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the body portion which is indicated generally by the reference character 5 is constructed of exible material, preferably rubber, the body portion being shaped to conform to the shape of a particular shoe, the construction of the body portion being such that when inflated, it will take the general contour of the shoe for which it has been designed.

As clearly shown by the drawing, the body portion 5 includes an upper wall 6 constructed of the same material of which the body portion is formed, the upper wall 6 being formed with an opening 'I constituting the inlet opening for air to be forced into the body portion 5 inating the body portion.

Secured within the body'portion in spaced relation with the upper wall 6, is a partition 8,

which is of a diameter to closely fit within the upper part of the body portion in such a way that air cannot pass between the edge of the partition 8 and inner surface of the body portion with which it contacts.

The upper surface of the partition 8 is cut away as clearly shown by Figure 1 of the drawing, defining a compartment 9 with the upper wall 6 of the body portion, the compartment acting as a pump chamber so that by pressing the upper wall 6 inwardly towards the partition 8, air within the compartment 9 will be forced into the body portion of the tree, inating the body portion.

An opening I0 is formed in the partition 8 and this opening I0 communicates with the body portion 5, through the bore I I in which the valve I 2 is mounted. The valve I2 is formed with a stem I3 that has a head I4 on the upper end thereof,

the construction of the valve being such that the valve is normally held to its seat preventing the air from exhausting from the body portion, however should it be desired to deflate the body portion, the valve is forced downwardly by pressure directed to the upper wall 6, directly over the head I4. Communication between the valve and compartment 9 is provided through the bore I5, with the result that air may pass from the compartment 9 into the body portion or may exhaust through this bore I5 to collapse the body portion.

From the foregoing it will be seen that due to the construction shown and described, the body portion is placed in a shoe, and that by placing the thumb over the opening 'I and pressing the upper wall 6 downwardly, the air within the compartment 9 will be forced through the valve and into the body portion. When the thumb is raised, air again enters the compartment 9 which may be forced into the body portion in the same manner. This operation is repeated until the body portion has been properly inflated to accomplish the purpose of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A shoe tree comprising a flexible body portion, a horizontal partition within the body portion and having its upper surface cut away defining a pump chamber with the upper wall of the body portion, said upper wall having an opening, adapted to be opened and closed by the thumb of the operator when the upper wall is compressed and operated to pump air into the body portion.

2. A shoe tree comprising a flexible body portion, a horizontal partition within the body portion and having a cut out portion in the upper surface thereof defining a pump With the upper Wall of the body portion, the upper Wall of the body portion having an opening through which air enters the pump, said opening adapted to be closed by the thumb of the operator when the pump is operated, said partition having an openpressure directed to the Wall of the body portion 5 above the Valve.

JOSEPH L. CONRAD. 

